The Path of Destiny
by BatmanSwiss
Summary: An encounter leaves InuYasha and co. seeking to regain a stolen shard. On the way they meet a mysterious man, with motives that InuYasha finds questionable. What is the real reason for this stranger's quest, and what does it have to do with Kagome?
1. Prologue

Author: JediK1

Genre: Adventure with a little Romance thrown in.

Rating: T for safety.

Disclaimer: I do not own any furry-eared hanyous or their friends, relatives, and enemies, no matter how much I'd like to! The names of Kagome's parents are, however, a product of my imagination, along with Ryuujin.

A/N: Welcome to my newest tale! This is another Kagome centric fic, just to warn you all. In this tale, she discovers that her own past is closer than she thought. Meanwhile, a bet causes hilarity between our favorite monk and demon slayer. Now, on to the story!

The Path of Destiny

**Prologue**

The sun shone brightly on the Higurashi shrine. Birds flew over the small collection of buildings, some stopping for a quick rest in the large, stately tree that grew near the center of the grounds. As the birds sang their songs to their ancient host, another beautiful, melodious sound mixed in with their voice. It was the sound of a child's laughter.

Passing beneath the timeless limbs of the Goshinboku was a small girl, her hair tied back in pigtails. She giggled merrily as she chased a small red ball across the grounds, and her game led her to where a beautiful woman was sweeping. The woman waved, and the child's smile grew even brighter.

"Look, Mama!" she cried as she drew her foot back to kick the ball.

The woman cheered as the ball soared through the air, and when the child ran after it she returned to her work.

The little girl followed the ball to a small building near the great tree. Someone had left the door open just a crack, but it was enough for the ball to slip through. Little Kagome Higurashi ran into the dark well house after her favorite toy.

A small amount of sunlight spilled through the door, and Kagome used it to find a safe path down the old stairs. The well house smelled musty and dirty, and the little child wrinkled her nose in disgust. The smell was not enough to deter her, though, and she bounced down the last few steps. Her ball had come to a stop only a few feet in front of her, and her young mind realized that the old well had halted the rolling of the toy.

She giggled in glee, and quickly covered her mouth with a tiny hand. "Mama and Papa don't like it when I'm in here, so I got to be quiet!"

Kagome hastened down the steps and reached for the red ball. She wanted to get out of there quickly before her mother noticed where she had gone. As her little hands closed around the rubber toy, she noticed that the light had suddenly disappeared. Her little head slowly turned up and two large, brown eyes widened when they saw what had caused the darkness.

Kagome did what any little girl would have done; she screamed.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the previously existing characters therein.

**Chapter One**

Kagome sat up in bed, sending the soft pink covers flying. A shaking hand reached up to wipe at the sheen of sweat that stained her brow; she had no idea how it had gotten there. She knew that she had dreamt of something, but as quickly as the fear of it had seized her heart, the dream faded, along with any memory of the images she had seen.

She shook her head to clear away the dream, and the movement caused her unruly raven tresses to spill across her face. A delicate hand brushed the strands away as she turned to her still-buzzing alarm clock. _Ugh,_ thought the fifteen year old. _It's not even a school day, and I'm still running late!_

She jumped out of bed and headed down the hallway to the bathroom. After a steaming shower, the last of the dream was forgotten and replaced with more immediate thoughts. With her mind already caught up in the coming events of the new day, she ran into her bedroom and threw on her last good school uniform. Kagome knew that she might not have time to change before she needed to go back to her feudal adventures, and so the uniform would have to do for this morning. Minutes later she stood in front of the mirror and straightened her skirt. _This is my last one…I better ask Mama to pick up some new ones for me while I'm gone. But first…. _

This morning was special for her family, and Kagome knew better than to be late for this. After finishing her inspection and running a brush through her still-wet hair, she hurried downstairs to breakfast.

The sounds that greeted her as she jumped over the last few steps were normal…for the most part. She could hear the sounds of her mother cooking, and of Grandpa reading Souta the newspaper. But there was another noise that reached her ears this morning, one that in any other household would have been a cause for worry.

"ARGH! Souta! Your damn cat scratched me again!"

It was the sound of an angry hanyou.

As she rounded the corner to the kitchen, Kagome found herself dodging when the family's overweight cat, Buyo, came flying through the air. She watched as, despite all rumors, the cat failed to land on his feet. Instead, the extra fat on his sides cushioned his fall and sent him rolling. By the time his momentum had slowed, the lazy cat was already fast asleep.

"InuYasha!" she yelled as she turned her attention back to the kitchen. "That wasn't very nice! You could have hurt him, you know!"

The hanyou was sucking on the offended finger, his gold eyes angry and indignant as he stared up at her from his seat on the floor. He removed the digit and showed her the tiny wound. "He scratched me! That tub of lard had it comin'!"

Kagome sighed as InuYasha placed the finger back in his mouth. _He probably deserved it!_ _He's always tormenting poor Buyo!_ thought the girl as she stormed past the pouting hanyou and took her seat at the table.

A tired yawn escaped her lips as she settled herself across from her brother. The younger Higurashi did not miss the opportunity to tease his sister, and he leaned forward over the table. "What's wrong, sis? Up all night thinking about InuYasha again?"

"Souta!" Kagome cried crossly as her cheeks turned bright red. "It wasn't that! I had some weird dream last night! I can't even remember what it was about."

Grandpa Higurashi lowered his newspaper enough so that he could peer over the pages at his granddaughter. "Hmmm…well, Kagome, you must not dismiss your dreams so easily. You come from a long line of priests and priestesses, and dreams have often been a connection to another time. Sometimes, they are a message from the past, trying to be heard."

Before Kagome could reply, her mother announced that breakfast was ready. The older woman kindly asked InuYasha if he would like to try some of the omelet she had made, but after taking one sniff of the proffered food, he told her that Ramen would be fine. Moments later he was sitting next to Kagome, happily slurping down the heated noodles.

So intent was he on gobbling down the Ramen that he nearly missed the sudden change in atmosphere at the table. He stopped mid-bite and glanced around the room. Mrs. Higurashi was quiet, which was not too unusual, but Kagome's grandfather had laid aside his newspaper and fallen completely still. That alone was enough to warn the hanyou that something was up. Kagome and Souta also seemed preoccupied, both lost in their own private thoughts. He leaned in close to Kagome and nudged her with his elbow.

"Hey," he whispered. "What's going on? Why the hell is everyone so quiet all of a sudden?"

Kagome glared at him for a moment before letting the expression fall. _That's right, he doesn't know…._

She finished the last bite of her food and excused herself from the table. After carrying her dish to the sink, she grabbed InuYasha's arm and gently pulled him from the room, his precious Ramen still in hand. She led him outside and quickly closed the door behind her.

"Look, InuYasha. I know that I promised to come back today, and I will, but there is something I need to do first, okay?"

The hanyou's ears twitched nervously atop his head. Something was going on here. He could tell by the way Kagome and her family's scents had changed at the table. Another dead giveaway that something was wrong was the way that Kagome avoided making eye contact.

"Oi, wench, what's going on? Why are you and your family acting so strange?"

"Just…wait for me on the other side of the well, InuYasha. I promise I'll be there soon," now she did look up at him, her dark eyes pleading with him. "Please?"

Now InuYasha was worried. She wasn't even trying to make an argument out of this! Usually when she wanted more time at home, she would yell at him or sit him until either he agreed or dragged her back through the well. Now, however….

"All right, Kagome," he sighed in frustration and leaned against the door in defeat. "But you'd better be back before noon, or I'm comin' to get you!"

She nodded, and he stalked off in the direction of the sacred well. Kagome watched him leave and whispered a quiet apology to his back.

"Kagome? Are you ready?"

The girl turned to the door as it slid open to reveal her mother. "Yeah, Mama. I'm ready."

InuYasha stood just inside the well house. True, he had promised Kagome that he would wait for her on the other side of the well, but he had also promised to protect her. How was he supposed to do that when she refused to tell him what was wrong? So, after convincing himself that he was only doing this for her sake and not his own, he decided to stick around. He slid the door until it was nearly closed, leaving a tiny slit just wide enough for one prying eye to see the world beyond. With one large gulp, he swallowed the remainder of his Ramen, set the empty cup aside, and set his eye to the door.

He was rewarded only moments later when he caught sight of a small procession coming from the main house. Kagome's grandfather led the way, followed closely by Kagome, her mother, and Souta. The heavy feeling that had prevailed at breakfast had deepened, and the solemn faces were cast down as they walked through the shrine.

The family stopped at the base of the great Goshinboku tree. One golden eye narrowed as the hanyou furrowed his brow. What were they doing?

Grandpa Higurashi moved to the base of the tree, stopping just in front of the small fence that surrounded it. Souta moved forward and helped the old man to the ground, and the women gathered close. The elder lit the incense and began to speak.

_Is he…praying?_

InuYasha watched, and his soft, triangular ear bent forward in an attempt to catch the old man's words. The language that he was speaking in sounded like the words Kikyo and Kaede used when praying or performing their priestess duties. Whatever they meant, they were spoken with quiet reverence, and InuYasha suddenly felt guilty for eavesdropping like this.

He pulled his head away from the door and sat down with his back against the cool wood. Though the ceremony still intrigued him, he would not spy anymore.

The strange event didn't last much longer. The praying stopped, and the sound of shuffling feet reached his ears as Souta offered to help his grandfather up from his kneeling position. The procession then headed away from the tree, probably back into the house.

Finally, after the shrine had settled into silence once more, InuYasha dared to turn around. The ceremony was indeed over, and the only evidence that it had even occurred was the smell of incense that still hung in the early morning air. Most of the family had retreated back into the house, leaving only one member still staring up into the leafy boughs.

"You can come out now, InuYasha."

The hanyou stood and slid the door open reluctantly. "How did you…?"

"I could sense you," she replied, her eyes never leaving the tree. InuYasha could not tell if she was angry with him. Her voice was calm and steady, and her hands lay open and unmoving at her sides.

Slightly unnerved at the girl's unusually restrained behavior, the hanyou moved hesitantly to her side and followed her gaze upward. They stood there in silence for a while, both allowing themselves a brief escape into the serenity of the moment.

Kagome was the first to break that silence. "You want to know what we were doing, don't you?" She didn't even have to glance over to know that he was nodding, and she closed her eyes for a moment. With a deep breath, she opened them and turned to the half-demon.

"It was a ceremony for remembrance," she began slowly. "Every year, on this day, we gather beneath the limbs of this tree to remember someone who is no longer with us. We came here today to remember Kouken Higurashi."

InuYasha eyed her curiously. "Who was he?"

"He was my father."

"Oh," was all he could say as she turned back to the tree again.

After a moment, he dared to ask the question that now burned on the tip of his tongue. "How did he die?"

The girl next to him shrugged. "It happened when I was six. I was so young then… I can't even remember it anymore. It was the day after Mama found out that she was pregnant with Souta. She said that Papa was driving home from work, and there was an accident. Another driver lost control of his car. Both died on impact."

InuYasha cringed at the mention of 'cars'. He had never liked the strange contraptions. They were loud, and they smelled terrible, but Kagome had never told him that they were dangerous before.

"I'm sorry that I spied on you, Kagome."

If she was surprised at the apology, she did not show it. Kagome did, however, smile gently at him. "It's all right, InuYasha. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before. I just didn't think that you would be interested, that's all." The young miko patted his arm once, and then turned away from the tree. "Come on, help me finish packing and we can go. I think I saw Mama bring home some extra Ramen the other day."

That was all the encouragement the half-demon needed. Together, they headed back toward the house. Just before she passed through the door, however, Kagome turned back to the ancient Goshinboku. The sway of the heavy branches caught her eye, and for a moment she found herself hypnotized.

"_Kagome! Stay back!"_

"_I'll always love you, my little Kagome."_

"_Papa!"_

"Kagome? Hey, Kagome! You coming or not?"

"Huh?" she shook her head to clear the cobwebs that had suddenly settled there. "Yeah, I'm coming." Kagome followed him inside and slid the door shut behind her. _What was that_? she thought as she followed InuYasha through the house._ It must have been something from the dream last night. _With a shrug of her shoulders, she attributed the strange occurrence to an over-active imagination and lack of a good night's sleep and turned her full attention back to the hanyou who was currently tearing her kitchen apart.

_I should never have mentioned the Ramen!

* * *

_

A/N: First of all, I'd like to offer a big thanks to my beta for this one, Moonglow gal! I hope that this fic will shape up to be even better than the last two big ones, and with her help I think that I can manage that! See you guys in chapter two!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the previously existing characters therein.

**Chapter Two**

"_Kagome, get in the house, now!"_

_All she could see was darkness. It had spread so quickly that Kagome found herself lost in the suddenness of it. She tried to push through, to find the safety of the house and her mother's arms, but all of her senses were blocked by the maelstrom around her._

_Lights flashed all around, brilliant streaks of illumination breaking through the swirling darkness. Violent sounds accompanied the unnatural lightning, and the little child covered her ears against the harsh noises. Screams and shouts surrounded her on all sides, blinding her senses as much as the lights did._

"_Papa!" she cried as she stumbled through the darkness. The churning clouds brushed against her skin as she moved, sending shivers up her spine. A muted voice cut through the din, catching her attention and guiding her forward and to her left._

"_Papa! Where are you?" _

_The little girl choked as a sob wracked her tiny body. She swore that she would not cry now. She had to be brave; she had to find her papa._

_Finally, the darkness gave way, and she could see two men standing before her. They were facing the other way, toward where the clouds were the thickest. A little hand reached forward, and she called out again. The younger of the two men turned to face her, and a sad smile curved the lips on his sweating face._

"_I'll always love you, my little Kagome." A pair of dark, sad eyes gave her one final look, and then turned away. The man clasped the elder on the shoulder once before running headlong into the darkness. He never looked back. _

"_PAPA!"

* * *

_

Kagome woke up in a sweat for the second night in a row. She glanced hurriedly around the small campsite that the group had chosen the night before. It was still dark out, and she had to strain to find the huddled forms of her friends around the burned-out fire. Her muscles relaxed a little when she realized that everyone else still slept.

"Oi, what's wrong with you?"

Well, almost everyone.

Kagome turned slightly, raising her head so that she could squint up into the branches of the tree behind her. InuYasha lounged on a large, thick limb with his back against the trunk and one leg hanging lazily off the side. Both arms were crossed against his chest in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, InuYasha. I guess I had a nightmare." She paused as a thought crossed her mind. "Did I wake you up?"

"Keh, you might have, if I'd been sleeping. But I'm half demon, remember? I don't need to rest like you humans do."

"Yeah, right."

InuYasha huffed and jumped out of the tree. In an instant he was by her side, his sensitive nose wrinkled as he sniffed at her. "Must have been a bad one, huh?"

Kagome was taken aback. Did he just _smell_ her? "Uhhh, yeah, I guess it was. But for some reason, I can't really remember much. I just get this feeling like something bad happened in it, that's all."

"Huh," the unusually inquisitive hanyou sat back on his haunches and scratched at his left ear with a clawed hand. "You really don't remember anything?"

Kagome thought about it for a moment before answering. "Actually, I do remember something. The last thing I saw before I woke up was a pair of dark eyes. They looked so sad…"

"Well, if I were in your dreams, I'd probably be upset too."

"InuYasha!" Kagome reached over and pushed the hanyou, causing him to fall backwards. She lay back down and tried to cover herself with the rumpled sleeping bag. "How can you be so inconsiderate?"

The hanyou stood up, his tall form casting a shadow over the girl. "Well, it's the truth! If you're going to be this much of a pain, why don't you try and get more sleep? I don't want to listen to you complaining all damn day that you're tired!" With that he turned around and jumped back into his tree, grumbling all the way.

Kagome lay there with her back to the tree and silently fumed at the half-demon. How could he seem so genuine one minute, and then turn into a complete jerk in the next? _I have half a mind to sit him right now! Let's see how a fall out of that tree feels!_ _I'm so angry at him right now that I could sit him into next week!_

That's when it hit her. Yes, she was angry, and that meant that she wasn't worried about the dream anymore.

Suddenly she felt a little guilty. _He was trying to help me_, she realized. _And I wanted to sit him for it. Well, at least I managed to keep my mouth shut before I did hurt him..._

Kagome let go of her anger and smiled a little as she settled back down to sleep. But even as the quiet of the night and the warmth of the sleeping bag wrapped around her, she could not seem to fall back to sleep.

* * *

Morning came all too quickly, and Kagome awoke to a pair of hands shaking her shoulders.

"Come on, wench. We don't have all day!"

Kagome sat up slowly, confusion clouding her sleep-filled eyes. "Huh? What time is it?"

InuYasha sighed impatiently. "It's time for you to get your ass outta that bag and start moving, that's what time it is!"

The girl ignored the half-demon, opting instead for a quick look around the camp. The sun was shining brightly just above the eastern horizon, its light reflecting off the cooking pot that Sango now held. The demon slayer smiled warmly at Kagome as she knelt on the ground and placed the pot on the re-lit fire.

"Good morning, Kagome. Did you sleep well?"

"Not really." Kagome rose from the sleeping bag and stretched her sore muscles before stalking past InuYasha and over to Sango's side. "So, what's for breakfast, Sango?"

InuYasha glared at the miko as she passed but said nothing. He knew that she had not gotten back to sleep until the sun had begun to creep over the horizon. And yet, there she was; bustling about the little camp and helping with the morning chores. He shook his silver mane and set about his own morning routine: stealing Shippo's breakfast.

* * *

The sun was still close to the horizon by the time the small group broke camp. Kagome and Sango led the way, chatting about nothing in particular. Each had a companion on their shoulders; Kirara perched on the taijiya's right shoulder, while a smug-looking Shippo clung to Kagome's left.

InuYasha glared at their backs from his position behind them. One hand absent-mindedly rubbed the vanishing bruise on his cheek, received just after he had stolen the kit's food. Kagome, it seemed, was not happy about that at all and 'sat' him right into a rock. _Damn wench._

Off to his right he could hear a contented sigh. He turned his attention to the monk, who seemed more than pleased as he shuffled alongside the disgruntled hanyou. "What're you so happy about?" he growled.

"Oh, nothing!" was the merry reply. InuYasha followed Miroku's gaze and rolled his eyes.

"Pervert. I should tell her, ya know."

The sky blue eyes turned away from the sensuous, swaying hips they had been trained on, their peaceful glow darkening in fear. "You wouldn't!"

InuYasha smiled mischievously, allowing a fang to slip between his lips. That was enough to convince the monk that the threat wasn't an idle one, and he stared sheepishly at the ground. "You really should learn how to appreciate the female body, InuYasha. Maybe if you did you wouldn't be in such a disagreeable mood all of the time!"

The retort that leapt to InuYasha's lips was stilled when he noticed that Sango and Kagome had stopped just ahead.

He motioned to Miroku, and the two quickly caught up to the girls. "What's going on?"

Sango glanced at Miroku as the monk came to a stop beside her. "There's something on the path ahead. Should we take a look, or go around?"

"I think we should look," Kagome offered.

InuYasha shrugged and crossed his arms. "Keh, whatever. As long as it doesn't take too long; we've still got jewel shards to find."

The group continued along the path, unconsciously changing their formation as they moved. Instead of dropping back as they had earlier, InuYasha and Miroku walked just ahead of Sango and Kagome. It did not take them long to discover what lay upon the road. An old man had collapsed on the side of the path, and as they neared they could hear him moan softly.

Kagome took a step forward and instantly found Inuyasha's arm across her chest. "Don't move, Kagome."

The miko obeyed, letting the hanyou approach the fallen form. "Hey, old man! You all right?"

A snow capped, wrinkled face turned up to the hanyou. "I guess that I pushed myself too far today and sprained my ankle," he rasped in a dry, cracking voice. "Please, young travelers, help me to the next village?"

InuYasha threw a glance back toward Miroku, making a motion to the old man. Miroku looked the pitiful figure over, but he could sense no youki. He shrugged, giving InuYasha the all-clear.

"How far's it to the next village, old man?"

"It is only a mile or so farther."

Without another word InuYasha bent down to pick the old man up. Before he could even touch him, something bright flashed from beneath the elder's ragged clothing.

"What the—" InuYasha instinctively backed up as a knife sliced across the top of his hand. A low growl shook his chest as he grasped the injured hand.

The old man- or what had appeared as an old man- shot to his feet. He brandished a wicked looking dagger in one hand, but that was not what drew the gasp from the small company's lips. The wrinkled skin and kind eyes had vanished, leaving in their place a scarred, reddish visage with a hawk-like beak protruding from where the lips had once been.

"A tengu?" Miroku cried as he readied his staff. He turned to the others and shouted, "be careful, everyone! Tengu are very quick and extremely vicious!"

"I'll keep that in mind," InuYasha snapped as he flexed his injured hand. He turned to the tengu, who had backed out of arm's reach. "Come here, you little bastard!"

The tengu had other plans. He cackled loudly, his eyes searching for something among the companions. When the dark eyes settled on Kagome, the tengu made his move.

The sound of cloth shredding filled the air as two large, beastly wings burst from the tengu's shoulders. Before anyone could react, he leapt into the air, but not before snatching an unsuspecting prize in the process.

"Kagome!" InuYasha watched, horrified, as the tengu flew over the forest with Kagome in his arms.

Kagome screamed when she felt her feet leave the ground. The tengu squeezed her tightly, choking off her startled cry and leaving her breathless. She could hear InuYasha call her name, but she could not see him as the tengu carried her away. The miko struggled against her captor as they flew above the treetops, and an idea struck her even as the demon began a sharp dive into a secluded grove. With all of her strength, she bit down onto one of the hands that grasped her.

The tengu screeched and released her. The feeling of relief that she felt was fleeting as the ground quickly rushed up to meet her, and she squeezed her eyes shut as she braced for the impact.

InuYasha tore through the forest, his eyes never leaving the leafy canopy and the demon that flew just above it. He watched as the demon began to descend, and he quickened his pace to keep up. Moments later, he burst into a small glen, and the sudden absence of trees gave him a clear view of Kagome and her captor.

A horrible scream filled the air, causing the hanyou to cover his sensitive ears. Seconds later, he watched as the tengu released Kagome, sending her careening towards the ground.

"Kagome!" he screamed, forcing his legs to push him faster. He had to reach her before she hit the ground!

Her own scream echoed through the clearing as she fell, and the hanyou leapt into the air. He muttered a quick prayer, reaching his arms out as far as they would go.

His efforts were rewarded when his arms wrapped firmly around the girl's torso. InuYasha sighed in relief and landed lightly onto the earth, his precious burden held tight against his chest. He set her down carefully, his hands resting on her shoulders as honeyed eyes scanned her for injuries. "Are you all right, Kagome?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. But he took my shard!" she cried. She was dismayed, but otherwise she seemed fine.

The tengu screamed again, and the pair turned just in time to witness Sango's Hiraikotsu slicing through one of the demon's arms. The limb fell to the earth with a sickening thud. The demon glanced once at the fallen limb, and then ascended at a sudden, shocking speed. It disappeared before Sango's weapon had returned to her hand.

InuYasha was still holding Kagome when Kirara landed in the glen. Sango and Miroku dismounted, and an anxious Shippo bounded over to Kagome. "Are you okay, Kagome?"

The miko nodded, assuring her friends that she was unhurt. "I'm all right, guys. I'm just a little confused, that's all."

Miroku scratched his head thoughtfully. "Yes, that was rather peculiar. Tengu are mountain demons, and we are days away from the nearest peaks. What was it doing all the way out here?"

InuYasha backed away from Kagome and crossed his arms. "Why the hell didn't you sense any youki?"

Sango shook her head at the hanyou, motioning toward the spot where the tengu had last been seen. "He couldn't have. Tengu are notorious for preying on monks, so they've developed a way to hide their youki. The only way to tell is when they remove their disguise."

"But that still doesn't explain why it was all the way out here," InuYasha prodded.

"Or why he went straight for Kagome," added Shippo, who had hopped onto Kagome's shoulder.

The group settled into a puzzled silence, but no one could think of an answer. Finally, they agreed to continue in the general direction that the demon had taken when he had tried to kidnap Kagome. They had no other way to track the demon, since it had taken to the sky, and so this seemed the only reasonable solution.

The sun continued to move across the sky, and eventually they decided to stop for lunch. Kagome pulled several cups of Ramen from her backpack, which proved a harder task than necessary when she had to keep shooing away a hungry hanyou. Sango had just finished placing the pot of water on the small cooking fire when she felt it.

_Smack. _

"Miroku! Can't you ever stop?"

The guilty monk sat behind Sango, his cursed hand rubbing at his scarlet cheek. "I assure you, Sango, I did not do it! It was this cursed hand betraying me again!"

Sango mumbled something completely un-lady like under her breath, then turned to fully face the houshi. His eyes grew to twice their normal size as she hovered over him, her hands placed firmly on her strong yet definitely feminine hips. "Listen, monk, and listen well, because you will _never_ hear this offer from me again."

"I am sick and tired of you being such a pervert. So I am going to make a bet with you. I wager that you can't go two weeks without any lecherous acts- and that includes groping, flirting, and asking random women to bear your child. If I'm right, I get to beat you senseless. But if you win, I will give you a reward worth remembering."

Miroku stared at the taijiya, disbelief etched across his features. The remaining friends were simply dumbfounded at Sango's outburst, and four pairs of eyes switched between the monk and the demon slayer, waiting for some kind of response.

When Sango finally offered a hand to Miroku, the monk could only eye it suspiciously. "Are you serious?" he managed to stammer.

She nodded curtly, motioning for his to take her hand. "So, is it a deal or not?"

"Two weeks?"

"Two weeks."

He sighed, and four pairs of eyes watched as the two shook hands.

Shippo leaned toward Kirara, who had been meticulously cleaning one of her forepaws. "I think Miroku has a death wish."

"Mmrrow."

* * *

After lunch, along with the show, was concluded, the companions broke camp and continued on the road. The rest of the day was uneventful, despite the fresh bet that lay between Sango and Miroku.

As darkness settled they moved off of the road and set up camp near some hidden hot springs. Sango and Kagome were ecstatic, and both women were lounging in the steamy water before the sun had even set.

The demon slayer watched her friend carefully from across the spring, concern shining in her eyes. Kagome's eyes kept sliding shut, and her body would slip a little further beneath the water each time before she could catch herself. "Kagome, are you all right?"

"Huh?" Kagome forced her eyes open. "Oh, yeah. I guess that I'm just tired. I haven't been sleeping very well the last few nights. And I still feel horrible for losing that shard earlier. I wouldn't blame you all for being mad at me."

"It wasn't your fault, Kagome."

The young miko sank into the warm water until all that was visible was her face. "I know, Sango. I guess the lack of sleep is catching up with me, that's all."

Sango cast her friend a sympathetic look before submerging herself completely. "Don't worry, Kagome. I'm sure that we'll get the jewel shard back. Just try and relax for now, and when we get back to camp I'll make sure the boys leave you alone so that you can get some rest."

"Thanks, Sango."

They finished their bath and headed back to camp. Sango kept her word, threatening bodily harm to anyone who bothered Kagome the rest of the evening. So the exhausted miko grabbed her hairbrush and headed over to her sleeping bag. After unceremoniously plopping down onto the bag, she began to run the brush through her hair. Unfortunately, the strands had tangled, leaving her frustrated as she tried to work through the knots.

"What the hell are you doing over here?"

She looked up to find InuYasha hovering over her. The frustration was evident in her voice when she answered him, "I'm trying to brush out my hair, but it's all tangled! Argh!" she cried, throwing the brush down. "I give up."

"Calm down, it's just hair." InuYasha knelt down and picked up the brush, then sat down behind her. "Just hold still."

Kagome was about to question him, but she could not find her voice when suddenly the brush began to glide through her damp hair. _I never knew he could be so gentle!_ she thought as he carefully worked out each knot and tangle. In only a few minutes the task was done, and Kagome sighed wearily. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Try and get some sleep, Kagome."

She nodded, and the hanyou moved aside so that she could nestle into the sleeping bag. He turned to leave, but was stopped by her quiet question. "InuYasha? What if I dream again?"

"Keh. It's just a stupid dream; it can't hurt you."

Kagome's eyes drifted shut, but she forced them to stay open for a moment longer. "InuYasha?"

"What is it now?"

"Stay with me? Please?"

The hanyou wanted to refuse, but one look into her fear-widened mahogany eyes made him clamp his mouth shut. So he settled down next to her sleeping bag and motioned for her to lay back. "All right, but just until you fall asleep, wench."

Kagome smiled her thanks and allowed her eyelids to slide shut. She drifted off almost immediately and was greeted by a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

A cold wind blew through the night, winding its way through the forests, the villages and plains, until finally climbing up the steep slope of a tall mountain. It snuck through the trees that lined the mountainside, slipping into the small caves that dotted the terrain.

The tengu glided unsteadily upon the wind as it reached its icy fingers into one such cave. The dark maw of the hole stretched deep, deeper than even the determined wind could reach. So the injured demon landed on the stone floor and staggered down the rocky path. He wandered far into the earth, finally coming to a stop at the entrance to a monstrous cavern.

The tengu squinted as his eyes adjusted to the sparse light that emanated from several torches, each securely fastened high along the rocky walls. Something deeper inside the cavern moved, and the tengu paused. Though the light reached most of the rocky chamber, the center, where the movement had been, was still cast in darkness. He grasped the bloody stump where his left arm used to be, whimpering slightly in pain while he waited for whatever moved within those shadows.

"You were unsuccessful." an impossibly deep voice rumbled.

"Forgive me, master. The girl is very well guarded; I barely escaped with my life. But- but I did manage to get this from her…."

The shadows shifted again, this time moving toward the farthest wall. The darkness paused there, focusing on the cave's solitary decoration. "It seems as though the fates have favored this girl, to provide her with such protection." The voice lowered to an angry hiss. "Always such protection."

The tengu remained where he stood as his master digested the news. He knew from experience that to interrupt meant certain death, so he pushed aside his own pain for the moment. If he did as he was told, his master would repay him.

His patience was rewarded a moment later when the shadows moved closer to him. He could hear the sound of air being sucked in, and then the air was released suddenly in a hot, sticky stream. When the breath of his master died away, all that was left of the tengu was a mass of melted flesh.

"I asked for the girl. You failed to retrieve her, and I do not tolerate failure."

A black hand detached from the darkness, and the razor sharp claws that tipped the scaly fingers sifted through the ashes. They closed around the crystalline sliver that the tengu had offered, and the creature eyed the black jewel curiously.

A small sound echoed through the cave, and the shadow turned away from the steaming remains toward the source of the noise. The decoration that it had been admiring earlier had moved slightly, and an idea struck the massive youkai.

It stared at the battered human form that hung from its wall. "You trapped me here against my will. You, a pathetic human, imprisoned me in this dank hell. But your strength alone will not free me. No, I require another. I require _her_." The demon's hand reached up to the large, scaled face, the sharp claws slipping deftly beneath the reptilian armor. A hiss of pain reverberated through the cave as the claws came away with a tiny scale in hand, removed from just above the youkai's right eye. It drew the other hand, with the jewel shard clasped firmly between the claws, to meet the scale. There was a flash of dark, sinister light as the two melded together.

The demon placed the combination onto the human's forehead, where it sank into the pale flesh. "Bring me the girl."

* * *

A/N: Well, while I feel that this story isn't getting near the amount of interest as my others, I will still forge on ahead! Though it may be a little while till I get chapter three ready, with the holiday and all. A big thank you to everyone who is reading and/or reviewing! You're comments really brighten up my day! Thanks also to Moonglow gal, who's pickiness is always appriciated! 


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